Hit Me with Your Best Shot Rewrite
by Dyanne Hellen Sotobod
Summary: When Kyouko and Ren start acting in a new drama together, the teenage girl develops the perfect plan to complete her revenge on Fuwa Shou... Rating balances precariously on M, but there are no lemons. Rated for violence, language, and disturbing/adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Oh, boy. Here I go. Pardon my French, but...Shit. I hadn't realized how self-conscious I had become about my work until I posted the first chapter of an original (_A Golden Feather_, if you're interested). I think part of the fear about this one is that the characters will be OOC. I mean, of course they will be. It's impossible to be completely in character, since I am not the mangaka (who is brilliant, by the way). I only know my own characters and my own experiences, so naturally, these guys will take after them. I mean, that's the nature of the writing beast.**

**Also, this has taken me forever to get around to. School will do that to you. Also...I will confess...I dropped Skip Beat! for a while. I got tired, really. A friend and I used to have this joke (we've recently revived it) of saying, "Did you read this week? SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED!" Then, she got really excited and told me to go read a chapter. Well, I was really confused and could hardly remember anything, so I just went back and reread the whole thing. It made a hell of a lot more sense the second time around at 4 AM the night before my Chinese Literature Paper was due. Yay college.**

**Anyway, this is my rewrite. I'm not promising awesome. I'm only promising to finish. Someday. I'm also promising to continue this story with noregard for how the canon progresses. This and that are two different time lines at a divergent point in a space-time continuum composed of wibbly-wobbly...timey-wimey...stuff.**

**Props to my roommate for being beautiful and wonderful and for listening to my ramblings and reading my writings. And shout-out to Kim for bringing me back to this series.**

**I do not own Skip Beat! It would be nice, but I don't.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Spandex and Capes

She was surprised, to say the least. She had obediently walked into the President's office, expecting another villain role, or something dark and manipulative. The sort of roles she usually played and for which she had become quite renown. Instead, her boss had handed her a file of a very different and unexpected kind.

She flipped through the script draft and looked up. "Superman?"

"Quite." President Lory Takarada replied as he smoothed down his extremely colourful and asymmetrical outfit. At first, Kyouko had been completely confused by the odd costume consisting of a frilly, purple jacket; bright red shoes; striped, mismatched socks; a bow-tie with a pattern from an optical illusions book; and a top-hat stuck with all sorts of pins and some of the most out-of-place objects. She had quickly figured it out, however, after she had noted a very embarrassed and uncomfortable Sebastian wearing a waistcoat and bunny ears and holding a pocket watch.

"I don't understand. This doesn't look like the script for a superhero film."

President Lory shook his head. "Oh, no. It's not. We could never do a Japanese version of Superman. That would be like doing a Japanese version of _Forrest_ _Gump_." Upon seeing her dumbfounded expression, he waved his hand. "Nevermind that. What do you think of it? The script? The concept?"

Kyouko looked down at the pages in her hands. _Superman's Shoes_. "It's a romance," she stated flatly.

President Lory beamed. "Isn't it wonderful? So passion-filled, so driven–"

"You said I couldn't do romances until I was out of the Love Me Section," she pointed out. "Until I learn how to...to..."

"Luh," the President prompted teasingly.

"LOVE!" she screamed as she glared at the script.

"I said the same thing to Tsuruga-kun, but look at how well Dark Moon turned out!" He purposefully neglected to tell her that the only reason Ren's notorious Dark Moon performance had only reached its level of success due to his actually falling in love. With the young woman the President was speaking with, no less. "Besides, the two of you are method actors. You can do it." He grinned and nodded. "Have you read the character desciption?"

Of course she had, and she nodded back to affirm the fact. She would be playinga girl who had been used and abused her entire life before finally breaking free of a toxic and abusive relationship with her boyfriend and finding freedom with the hero's help. "Who plays my love interest?"

"That has yet to be determined," the President said quickly. He leaned over his desk. "Mogami-kun, please realize that this is a fortuitous opportunity. Until now, you've been playing supporting roles, but this is your chance to play a female lead. I would not pass this up, if I were you."

Kyouko thought for a moment. Father had once told her that she could not pick her roles based on personal sentiment. She quickly made up her mind. "Where do I sign?"

"Last page, on the bottom. You have to initial in the top right corner of every page, too. Allow me to get you a pen." He looked at Sebastian.

Kyouko watched in morbid fascination as the poor man took a shaky breath, seeming to wail in pain inwardly, and hopped forward, a fountain pen in his hand.

* * *

"It's a fabulous role, truly. All the roles you've played until now have been perfect or action heroes or flawed beyond exaggeration. This is your chance to play someone simple and human. Play with how the common man tackles uncommon issues. You would be a fool to turn this down."

Ren nodded after the President's speech and closed the script. "Where's the catch?"

Lory put his hands in the air. "Catch? There's no catch."

"I know you. There's always a catch." He smiled. "What does this have to do with Mogami Kyouko?"

The President rolled his eyes. "Give me the benefit of the doubt. Has it ever occured to you that I care more about your future and well-being that your love life?"

"Those are the same thing with you," Ren replied. He looked down at the character list. There were three supporting females: a therapist, a kindergarten teacher, and the sister of the abusive boyfriend. The last option seemed the best fit. "Who's playing the supporting villain?"

"Ueda Misaki," President Lory responded.

Ren blinked. He was not out of options, though. "The other two?"

"Sano Erika and Takata Sachiko." He smiled.

"The female lead?"

The President hesitated before saying brightly, "Mogami Kyouko."

Ren dropped the script on Takarada's desk and stood up. "I've heard enough. I'm afraid I'll have to turn it down."

"Why? Because you have to kiss her in the end? That should hardly be a problem. You're in love with her."

"And _that's_ the problem." In truth, he was not sure why his feelings were an issue. He just knew that they were. He simply felt like he would be using a script as a reason to get close to her. There were ethics involved.

"You've never let personal feelings stop you before."

"I've never been in love with my costar before," Ren countered.

"I thought you were planning to fulfill your goal so you could be with her. Now you're going to let her stand in your way?" President Lory shook his head. "You do realize who the producer and director is, don't you? Kurosaki Itou. That's right. The same Kurosaki Itou who directs Japanese and American films. The same Kurosaki Itou who won an Academy Award for best director. And he wants you. You take this job, and you are one step closer to achieving what you've been working for."

The President's words swam through Ren's head, but he could not shake the sense of foreboding. Something would go wrong. He would slip up somewhere, and he would scare her off. Then all of his progress would be for naught. "I'm afraid my answer is still 'no.'" He started walking toward the door.

Lory Takarada shrugged. "Alright. I'l just give them a call. They'll have to move on to their second choice. A pity. You're much more suited to the role than Kijima Hidehito."

Ren froze with his hand on the knob and the President smirked. "What?"

"Kijima Hidehito. He was their second choice. Your name would have been preferred, but...Ah well." He picked up the phone on his desk. "It's a good thing Mogami-kun already knows him and trusts him so much. She really lets her guard down when he's around. So adorable..."

Ren grip tightened on the knob, but he could not twist his hand or move his feet. "What you're saying won't change my decision."

"Then please leave so I can make this call." Lory put the phone to his ear. "Hello? Yes, this is Lory Takarada of LME. If you would please put me through to–" Suddenly the phone was ripped from his hand and replaced on the receiver. He looked up and smiled at Ren, who refused to meet his eyes as he held the phone down. "Can I help you?"

"I'll sign the contract," Ren grumbled.

"You're changing your decision?" Lory gasped.

Ren clenched his teeth. "Just give me a damn pen!"

* * *

Shou glared at the page, crumpled it up, and threw it over his shoulder. What ever he did, he just could not get the damn chord progression right. In fact, he could not get much of anything right lately.

All week he had been listening to perverted nobody's go on about some magazine interview with his Kyouko.

"Wasn't Kyouko-chan beautiful?" they would say. "At first I just thought Natsu was hot, but did you see Kyouko-chan in that swimsuit spread? And she seems like such a sweet, genuine person! Not at all like any of the other self-obsessed idols..."

Finally, Shou had purchased the magazine. Upon opening to the coveted center-fold, he had nearly blown a gasket. Kyouko was not merely looking absolutely delectable in a deep purple bikini. She was looking absolutely delectable in a deep purple bikini while standing in a very suggestive pose with _him_.

And to top it all off, he had dreamt the previous night that he was at her wedding. Kyouko, the gorgeous bride, had made her way down the isle to the side of the groom. But what really had made the dream odd was that she had not been not marrying _him_, as was a reoccurring theme in his nightmares. No. _He_ was nowhere in sight. Kyouko had been marrying that punk from the Colbert Cologne commercial. Not even anyone famous! She had chosen so far below his level! Shou had been furious.

He now realized that his anger had nothing to do with _him_. Any man talking about his Kyouko, touching his Kyouko, thinking about his Kyouko, set him on edge. Shou was determined. He would win her back. He would pull her from the side of any man, and he would do whatever it took.

Because he knew, he was the only one she could ever date. And she was the only one he would ever actually want.

* * *

Excited? Yes. Shocked? Definitely Anxious? Certainly. Unworthy? Absolutely.

That was how she felt the moment she found out who exactly her costar would be. She had received a call from him that night, congratulating her. Then he had asked whether she would like a ride to a photo shoot they had been working on in a week. She had tried to decline, of course. She could always ride her bike, but he had insisted. In the end, she had accepted his offer. And that was why she was standing outside her school the Wednesday after receiving the job offer.

She kept her head down, shrinking out of sight of the reporters who stood around the school gates, hoping for a shot of any famous high-schooler. She was certain they would not recognize her, as she had not the talent or renown of her celebrated classmates, but she did not want to take a chance and garner media attention.

Suddenly, she heard a shout from the reporters as a silver car pulled up along the curb.

Kyouko froze. How could this happen? Now the media would miscontrue the relationship, and his own reputation would be smeared because of the supposed attentions he showed to a newbie such as herself... Her mouth opened in horror as he opened his door and stepped out of the car.

"Tsuruga-san! Why are you here today?"

"Tsuruga-san! Are you meeting a student here?"

"Are you picking someone up?"

Ren merely smiled and looked around before his gaze fell on the statue of Kyouko. He walked over to her and held out his hand. "Mogami-san."

"Mogami Kyouko! It's Mogami Kyouko! Get a picture!"

"I didn't realize–Kyouko-chan! Look to your left!"

She forced herself to meet Ren's eyes and croaked, "Tsuruga-san."

"Tsuruga-san and Kyouko-chan! You two worked together on _Dark_ _Moon_. You're now close friends, yes?"

"You're picking her up from school. You must be close, right?"

Ren released her hand and put an arm around her, pressing his hand against her shoulder and leading her toward the car.

"What is your relationship with Kyouko-chan?"

He opened the door for her and ushered her into the car. He then closed the door and walked around to the other side of the vehicle before opening his own.

"Tsuruga-san! What is your relationship?"

"Is this a normal occurrence?"

"What is your relationship?"

As he smiled at the reporters and waved, Kyouko buried her face in her hands. He was tainted forever! She should have refused him with greater force!

He slid into the driver's seat and shut out the screams of the paparazzi. He smiled at her as he turned the key in the ignition. "Are you ready?"

Kyouko was amazed at his composure. He was not even upset over the media's assuming they were anything more than senpai and kouhai. "Tsuruga-san..." She then looked out the window and said the only thing she could think of. "There are people in the way..."

He chuckled. "There's something you should know about people, Mogami-san. When you rev the engine..." He pressed the gas pedal and the car growled and reporters dove out of the way. "They scatter."

* * *

Ren grinned, remembering when his father had told him the same thing when he was a child as paparazzi were surround them in L.A. He looked over at Kyouko, however, and his face fell when he saw the horror on her face. Had he gone too far?

Kyouko bowed suddenly. "Gomen nasai!" She sat up and bowed again. "Gomen nasai!"

"Mogami-san!" He looked back at the road. "Please, don't–"

"But...But there will be rumours! About us..." She bit her lip. "Just because I didn;t refuse your offer...They think we're close friends...or...more..." She said the last word low and dark, as if it were something terrible.

"First of all, Mogami-san, there is absolutely no reason to apologize. I wanted to pick you up from school, even though I knew something like that might happen."

"But," she protested. "Your reputation for associating with a nobody like me–"

"Second, my reputation is hardly as stake. Third, you must stop putting yourself down like you do." He sighed. "You have no idea...You are not a nobody."

Kyouko stammered, "B-but the rumours–"

"Will be easy enough to stop, since neither of us said anything. Besides, rumours only last seventy-five days." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, hoping silently that the rumour would last much longer than that, and that it would not be a rumour at all, but fact. "Finally, Mogami-san–and pay attention to this part, if nothing else–they were absolutely right in calling us friends."

"But, Tsuruga-senpai–"

"I know," he said in a pacifying tone. "I know you consider me your senpai and yourself my kouhai, but under no circumstances does that mean we can't be friends. I do consider you a friend. In fact, I consider you a close friend, just as the reporters implied." He stopped at a red light and looked over at her. "Mogami-san, do you understand?"

"I..." She looked down at her hands. "I understand. I..."

"Mogami-san?"

Someone honked their horn, and he looked up and saw that the light had changed. He pressed the gas pedal and the car started forward.

"I..." He heard her shift in the leather seat. "I greatly respect you," she murmured. "As an actor, and..."

He tightened his grip on the wheel again as his stomach tightened painfully.

"And I greatly enjoy the time we spend together. And I value your...health...And as my senpai..."

He bit the insides of his cheeks. Perfect. He had moved too fast. He had scared her off forever. He stopped at another red light and rested his elbow against the arm rest and rested his head in his hand. This was going to be an awkward ride.

"Can I really call you my friend?" she asked quietly.

He jerked his head up and looked at her, not even bothering with containing his grin. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Yes. Yes, you can."

A sweet, bashful smile spread over her face and she giggled slightly. He wondered what her smile tasted like and quickly let go of her hand and faced the road before wonderment gave way to action.

* * *

**For those of you who are returning readers, thank you so much for your patience and support. I still need it though, as I have a long road ahead, and as I mentioned above, my confidence in terms of my writing has changed for the worse, partly due to the fact that my writing style has changed slightly and partly due to the fact that my literature professor this past semester seemed to not appreciate my style.**

**Also, last time I posted this, I got an anonymous question asking what spandex and capes have to do with this chapter. Really, nothing. They only refer to the fact that the title relates to Superman. Superman wears spandex and a cape. Really not much else to it.**

**Also...Anyone wanna Beta? Like, seriously? Because that would be awesome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, mad props to Kim for bringing me back to Skip Beat! and for being generally fabulous! And thanks to reugulusgal for being such a marvelous Beta!**

**So...part of the reason for the long time between chapters is work, part of the reason is pure laziness, and part of the reason is Rush Week. Oh, my gosh, Rush Week. Or, as my sorority sisters and I lovingly call it, Estrogen Explosion Week. Too many women, too many hormones, too many emotions...**

* * *

Chapter 2: We Live for Love

Kyouko adjusted the gold-rimmed sunglasses on her head and stepped back to look at herself in the mirror. Her bathing suit was much more conservative than the one she had worn for the last shoot. It was a navy blue one-piece with a halter tie and sweetheart neckline. She wore gold flip flops and a hemp and ivory anklet.

She reached beside her and grabbed the fluffy white robe lying across the vanity stool and slipped her arms through the sleeves. As the end of the robe fell and settled around her calves, she relished the feeling of the soft, warm fabric against her cool skin. The shoot, with its large fans blowing "wind", would be even colder than the dressing room, she knew, and she was determined to stay in her robe for as long as possible.

She sat down on the vanity stool and poured herself a glass of water from a pitcher sitting on the counter. As she sipped from the glass, she thought back to the photographer's words.

"Now, we want this one to be a bit more conservative than our last few. We'd like to show that this line is for everyone, regardless of comfort and modesty level," he had said. "Less seductive, more happy."

Ren and Kyouko had nodded to show their understanding.

"I want the atmosphere to have more... love."

That time, only Ren had nodded.

"Tsuruga-san, I'll need you to look at her as if she's the most beautiful woman you have ever seen," the photographer had said.

"That won't be a problem at all," Ren had replied confidently.

"Kyouko-chan, I'll need you to respond in kind. Just be in love. Happy, sweet, innocent, young, summer love." Then, without even waiting for her response, he had dismissed them.

Kyouko groaned as she refilled the glass. The past few shoots she had been able to delve just a bit into Natsu, take a little of her strength. And for the last one, she had even taken a bit of Setsu into her personality. But she had never played a character like the photographer was demanding. How was she supposed to act? It was something she was completely unable to do, but this was her chance to prove that she could handle her role in the new drama and that she could be good enough to stand next to Ren in said drama.

Ren.

What on earth had he meant by "that won't be a problem at all"? Surely, it was a problem! He was in love with another girl, so how could he possibly look at her that way? How could he possibly look at her the way he looked at that girl?

She drank the entire glass of water in one go, set it down, and pressed the backs of her hands against her burning cheeks.

How on earth was she supposed to face him, knowing all that? With what had happened at the school and what was about to transpire and be published as a photo spread...His chances of getting that girl were growing smaller. How could she live with herself, knowing that she would cost her senpai–her _friend_–so much?

She jumped slightly when she heard a knock at the door.

"Mogami-san?" a muffled voice called.

Of course he had come.

"I'm coming," she called back. She looked at herself once more in the mirror before walking over and opening the door.

* * *

Ren slipped on the white, soft robe and tied it securely, completely obscuring the navy and white stripped swimming trunks he was wearing. Not for the first time that day he wondered at the ridiculousness of shooting a swimsuit ad in late November. True, only a preview ad had been released, and the rest of the pictures would be seen by the public only after extensive doctoring that would take until April, but it felt no less strange.

The past few shoots had been a great challenge for him. The director's demands had not been the problem. He was perfectly able to show carnal desire when Kyouko had shed her robe to reveal her perfect and scantily-clad figure. He was perfectly able to show lust as he ran his hands down her soft sides and buried his face in her hair. The problem was keeping everything in check.

He had actually been surprised when he had learned she would be doing a swimwear shoot with him. Never in a million years would he have thought her up for it. Then she had told him that Lory Takarada had convinced her that the shoot would help move her career along by making more people aware of her existence. He had not been surprised then. It was, after all, the same Lory Takarada who had kept her involvement in the shoot a secret until it had been too late for Ren to drop out. The same Lory Takarada who had just a few days earlier tricked him into taking a role in a drama against his better judgement.

He smiled sardonically. How exactly was this shoot different from the drama, exactly? The shoot was probably worse, ethically speaking, considering how close he was to her and the various positions they were required to hold. The difference, he decided, was foreknowledge. He had not known Kyouko would be doing the shoot when he had agreed. It could not have been helped. The drama, on the other hand... He was fully aware of the circumstances.

He sighed and walked out of his dressing room. What was done was done, he decided.

He finally reached her dressing room and rapped his knuckles lightly against the door. "Mogami-san?"

"I'm coming," her muffled voice called back.

He ran a hand through his hair, but those front hairs fell back over his forehead. After a moment, the door opened and the object of his affections stepped into the hallway.

Her robe was pulled tight across her frame, hiding everything from his eyes, and her un-made-up face was flushed.

Concerned, he asked, "Are you alright, Mogami-san?"

"I'm just a little warm," she told him hurriedly.

He grinned and playfully tugged playfully on her robe. "It would help if you took this off." She had no idea how much he wished she really would take it off. But he could wait for another hour. After make-up was finished, he would be able to take in her complete beauty and hold her in his arms. That was easily worth the wait.

She shook her head quickly. "Actually, I'm a little...cold..."

He chuckled. She was positively adorable.

He turned and started walking down the hallway and smiled when he heard the quick slap of her shoes as she followed and caught up to him. He looked down beside him and admired her profile. "I've been thinking," he began, "that since we're friends now, or rather, since we've established that fact, we can dispense with formalities."

Kyouko looked up at him, her golden eyes wide. "I don't quite understand."

He looked forward. "Well, the whole country calls you 'Kyouko-chan,' and they don't even know you. And since I do, and since we're friends, and close friends at that, might I be allowed a slightly better privilege?" He looked at her again and saw that she was facing forward and covering her cheeks with her hands in an attempt to hide her blush. "Why can't we stop using family names?"

Kyouko cleared her throat. "I'd feel disrespectful...calling you by your given name..."

He stopped walking and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I would count it as no disrespect. In fact, it would make me extremely happy if you would." When she did not reply, he ventured, "Kyouko?"

She looked up at him and then away again. "I...I see...Ren...san."

He smiled. It was better than nothing.

* * *

As make-up artists massaged lotion into her face, Kyouko could not help casting a nervous glance at her fellow model. His own team had already finished lotioning and were busy airbrushing his face with a colour that almost perfectly matched his skin tone. He sat in the chair, eyes closed and a small smile on his face.

How could he be so calm after their exchange? How could he so easily call her by her given name?

"Eyes closed, Kyouko-chan," the head artist said. "Take a deep breath and hold it...good."

She let out a little noise of surprise when her face was assaulted by the cool spray of the airbrush. Someone else began running his or her fingers through Kyouko's hair, no doubt working in some sort of mousse or gel. After a few moments, the cool air stopped.

"It's safe to breathe again, Kyouko-chan. But please keep your eyes closed."

She could hear someone turning on a blow dryer and started blowing her hair, and feel others running brushes over her eyes and cheeks.

She still could not forget his comment to the director. Her face started to burn as she remembered something else... Kanae had once mentioned that Ren might be in love with Kyouko...The young actress pushed the thought away. He would never have meant anything literally. He was in love with another girl, after all. By saying that looking at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world would not be a problem, he clearly had been referring to his superior acting abilities.

She tried to sigh, expecting relief from some tension, but the breath got stuck in her throat and she hiccuped instead.

"You may open your eyes, Kyouko-chan."

She opened her eyes and accepted the glass of water on of the artists proffered. As she drank, she cast a glance in Ren's direction. The older actor was already talking to the director, and his makeup team was packing the equipment.

The darkness within him had been growing more apparent of late, and she was worried. What on earth was so awful in his past? At one point, she had supposed that maybe someone had died because of him. It was a logical conclusion if she only considered how he reacted to the word "murderer". But when she took into account his personality, gentle nature, and kindness, it was ridiculous. Maybe there had been an accident that he blamed himself for? That made more sense.

She drained the last of the water and handed the cup back as the head artist brushed a lightweight colour over her lips and someone else put her sunglasses on top of her head. She stood up, took off her robe and laid it across the chair and walked toward the director.

Whatever was in Ren's past, it could not be as horrible as murder. He would have been very young–fifteen at the oldest, else the media would have found out–and the idea of a teenage Ren doing something so awful... it was preposterous.

She bowed low as she approached the director, who smiled gently at her.

"Kyouko-chan," he said, "I was just reiterating to Tsuruga-san that I want this shoot to be less seductive than the others. Just be yourselves..."

As the director continued, Kyouko reached up and absent-mindedly touched the sunglasses on her head. Suddenly she felt the peculiar sensation of being watched. She looked beside her at Ren and jumped slightly when she saw that he was smiling at her.

It was _that_ smile. That charming, bright, vibrant, smile. The one that fried her grudges. The one that was completely real. The one she could not figure out the meaning of no matter how hard she tried.

She looked away and swallowed. Why did he feel the need to smile at her like that?

"And of course, you can always just picture that special someone instead. Do whatever it takes to simply be in love." The director nodded, quite satisfied with his speech and walked away.

Picture that special someone. Kyouko frowned. She didn't have a special someone. And unfortunately the director had specifically asked that she be herself. If it weren't for that fact, she could have tapped into Setsu's unusual love for her brother, since that was as close to love as Kyouko had ever played.

Love. She clenched her hands into fists. How had she ended up with the role of someone in love? It was disgusting. It was despicable. Love was the worst emotion known to man. Her only experience with the dreaded feeling...

She glowered at the floor. That name she did not even dare to utter, lest it foul her mouth, a single syllable that carried with it such hatred and destructive power–

"Kyouko?"

She sqeaked when she felt a hand rest on her bare shoulder. Quickly, Kyouko spun around. "Tsu...Ren-san!" She smiled at him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his tone more demanding than concerned. It was as if he knew. How did he always know what she was thinking whenever that... man was involved? She could almost feel her blood beginning to boil in her veins. That man–

"Kyouko!"

She needed to stop. She needed to stop thinking about him, and focus on something else. Naturally, she said the very first thing that popped into her head. "Will you be thinking about the girl you love?"

Ren blinked quickly and opened and closed his mouth several times. "What?"

She then remembered that Mogami Kyouko knew absolutely nothing about the high school girl. Ren had told Bo. In the strictest confidence, even. "I mean...Is there anyone? I'm sorry. I assumed there was a girl, because you're so popular and well-liked and attractive and kind–"

Ren coughed into his hand and kept his mouth covered. "You think I'm attractive."

Kyouko's eyes widened. "No! I mean, yes! I mean, I'm sorry if I've overstepped my boundaries. I promise it won't happen again–"

"Kyouko..."

"I'm such an unworthy kouhai, Tsuruga-san! I understand if you never want to associate with someone so lowly. I only meant it practically, but I am a hundred years too early to be paying you compliments–"

"Kyouko!" He grabbed her upper arms and bent over so their faces were level. "It's fine."

She swallowed and avoided his eyes, instead focusing on his hands. They were so big they completely circled her arms, his fingers and thumbs barely overlapping. And the grip was so gentle. She knew, of course, that it could be incredibly strong, like iron, when he was angry. He was not angry then. And the skin was soft, understandable since his job did not require too much hard labour. For a brief moment, she wondered if they had drawn much attention to themselves.

"It's fine," he repeated, a little softer. "Hey."

She looked up at him and swallowed hard. It was a mistake, she knew, meeting his eyes. His intense gaze held her fast, and she would not be able to break contact until he did.

"It's fine. Actually, I'm..." He took a breath. "I'm flattered, really. No, that's not right...I'm glad." He nodded. "Yes, I'm glad." His hands trailed up her arms and came to rest on her shoulders. "Actually, there _is_ a girl. You're right."

She swallowed hard. "Will you be thinking about her?"

He smiled that blinding, beautiful smile. "I think about her every moment of every day."

"You'll be imagining her instead." She had no idea why she said it. It just came out. The words burned like acid on her tongue and tasted like bile.

His face fell and he straightened. They stood for about a minute. His eyes dark and questioning, as if trying to peer into her very soul, to find answers to questions even she could not answer. His hands tightening on her shoulders trying to squeeze something, something she could not name, from her. "No," he finally replied before walking away.

She placed a hand over her chest and felt her heart racing. She felt her heart squeezing tight in spite of its fast pace. For a brief moment, she thought about the box inside of her. All the locks that had fallen off needed to be replaced. Mentally she tried to reattach every lock, but she felt exhausted after only two. Since when did locking the box hurt?

"Kyouko-chan!" the photographer called.

She ran over to the set and obeyed every command as the photographer arranged his two models as if they were little more than dolls.

"Tsuruga-san, put your arms around her waist... Yes. Kyouko-chan, drape your right arm around his shoulders... Good... And your left hand on his upper arm... Perfect. Come closer, make the embrace a bit tighter. Excellent." The photographer walked over to his camera. "We'll start from this position."

Kyouko looked up at Ren's face and felt only the slightest twinge of panic. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes bored into her own, still asking those unanswerable questions.

"Turn on Fan One," the photographer called.

She scrunched her toes in the sand on the set floor as a cool breeze washed over her skin. She shivered and felt Ren's grip on her waist tighten. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking if she was alright. She smiled slightly in reply.

"A little more of the Storaro Yellow," the director called to the light man. "Cut back on the 30 Pink."

How exactly was she supposed to be in love? Not that Ren was entirely unappealing. In fact, he was quite the opposite, as she had just admitted to her embarrassment. But Kyouko could not be in love. Perhaps if she focused on feeling something close to love? But what evoked such tender and warm emotions within her? What other than Moko-san, fairies, princes...Fairies and princes. That was it. There was only one who made her soul light. One who cast the world in happy and magical shades of rose and yellow.

"Just a few seconds..."

She focused on Ren's face and almost immediately noticed his jaw line. It was almost the same as his jaw line. In fact, Ren's jaw could have been Corn's jaw after ten years. How had she not noticed? After studying for a few seconds more, she realized the similarity between their noses, cheekbones, foreheads... How had she missed the resemblance? It was uncanny how much Ren looked like Corn.

She smiled. Pretending Ren was Corn would not be nearly as hard as she had originally imagined.

Ren's eyes widened momentarily before he smiled that beautiful, horrible, magical smile at her.

"Alright!" the photographer called. "Show me love–Oh! You're already doing it...As expected from Kyouko-chan and Tsuruga Ren... Okay!"

The camera flashed and Kyouko began following Ren's lead, moving just so, taking different poses and positions, attempting to keep it interesting while the photographer called out encouragements. The entire time she kept looking at Corn...Or was he Ren? They were so strikingly similar. As one of his hands moved up her back, she suddenly felt the need to remind herself who he really was. Brown eyes. Corn's. No! They were Ren's! Somehow the two were becoming one in her mind. One of his hands slowly trailed down her arm and she had to tell herself that Ren and Corn were not the same, no matter how much they looked alike. Corn was a fairy prince, and Ren was an actor.

Imagining Ren as Corn was turning out to be twice as hard as she had originally imagined.

It was when they were standing a bit further apart, his left hand on her hip and her right hand resting in the crook of his elbow and her left fingers intertwined with his right, that the photographer called out, "Let's have some more action."

Ren grinned wickedly and very quickly squeezed her waist just below her ribs. She squealed and pulled away from him as an unconscious smile broke over her face. How had Ren–Corn known? He held her hand fast and pulled her back against his chest as she laughed.

"Beautiful!"

He squeezed again, but when she tried to move away that time, she tripped over his feet and they both tumbled to the floor, Corn... or Ren... or whoever he was on the bottom, while she fell against his chest. A deep rumble moved from under her hands which were splayed on his pecs, and she realized that he was also laughing. She grinned as she met his brown eyes.

Corn had blue eyes, the most beautiful blue she had ever seen. But Ren's brown eyes were just as lovely, and the warm colour evoked a fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach. They were solid brown with no flecks of gold and no hint of green... Wait. She gradually stopped laughing as she gazed at his eyes. What was that?

He too stopped laughing and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, and Kyouko let herself fall back to sit on his thighs. Neither one ever broke eye contact.

She could not figure out why it was such a point of fascination for her. After all, it was not uncommon.

His fingers grazed over her shoulder and gently caressed the skin just below her ear. His fingertips slowly brushed across her jaw and traced little circles on her cheek. Yet she stayed transfixed on his eyes. How had she not noticed? The pad of his thumb played across her lower lip...

"Alright! Hair and makeup, I'll need the sand off of them before we start this next shoot. Adjust the lights for sunset!"

Kyouko suddenly found herself yanked back to earth where she was straddling Tsuruga Ren while one of his hands rested against the side of her face and their noses were nearly touching. She jumped back and landed with her rear in the sand. He stood up first and silently offered her a hand, which she gratefully accepted.

Was he blushing again? Or was it just the lights?

As he walked away without a word and she followed her own makeup team back to the bench, she could not help wondering what would have happened next. No, she knew what would have happened next. What she really wanted to know was what it would have been like. She had forcibly been assaulted by the miserable excuse for a singer, and it had not been pleasant, but now she imagined how a kiss from Tsuruga Ren would feel. He'd be gentle, she decided. Then she felt her face heat up. What on earth was she thinking? That would never happen, she did not want it to happen. Why waste her time thinking about it? He was also in love with another girl.

What had he meant by "no" anyhow? Maybe that he would not have to imagine the other girl. That's how excellent of an actor he was, after all. OR maybe he meant that he would not use that girl in such a way? That she was precious to him and that he could never prostitute his feelings for her...

Furthermore, how had she never noticed that he wore contacts? Was she really that oblivious?

Kyouko sighed. She was over-thinking far too much.

* * *

The singer seethed as he stormed through the halls of the studio. The receptionist at the front... He would make sure she got fired. She had been so stubborn, refusing to let him in or tell him what he wanted to know.

He had asked if she knew who he was.

She had replied in the affirmative, but that his fame was not exactly impressive. She saw many stars every day, and she would not hand out information to any of them either.

In fact, it had taken him half an hour to convince her that he was a friend. That he had come to pick her up. That his phone had died so he did not know where she was. That she was just the type of person to forget to leave a message to let him in.

He stopped in front of a door with her name on it and walked in without a second thought. Unfortunately, she was not inside.

No matter. He could wait.

* * *

Ren looked down beside him as the two walked back to their respective dressing rooms. Much to his chagrin, she had tied her robe around her body again. True, the robe was very warm around him, but hers was damn annoying, hiding how beautiful she was. She was lovely, the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen.

He grinned as he remembered that she thought something similar of him. She had blatantly said she thought he was attractive. That one word had assured him that in her eyes he was not only her senpai but also a man. That was the most progress with her he had ever made. In one day, she had admitted he was attractive and had agreed to call him by name. He was on a roll.

And why should he break the streak? When they stopped outside her dressing room door, he grabbed her hand. "Kyouko... Can I take you to dinner?" He was very careful with the phrasing. This would be his treat, but he did not want that to be her first thought. She'd refuse him. Just two coworkers grabbing a meal, and one of them happened to be driving. That's what he wanted her to think.

She bit her lip and nodded. "That sounds nice..."

He squeezed her hand, his heart threatening to burst from his chest. "Get dressed then."

As she stepped into the room and closed the door, he exhaled. The universe was finally smiling upon him.

* * *

**Yes, I know. A long chapter of little action and no plot. I regret nothing. Also, I did this at two in the morning, so I can't help feeling that it makes no sense whatsoever...**

**Storaro Yellow and 30 Pink are Roscolux gel colours. Roscolux gels are used in lighting design for indoor sets in photography, film, and live theatre. Actually, if you go onto the website for Roscolux, you can find little tutorials on how to create different moods...If you're into that sort of thing.**

**So, as I was procrastinating on this and work, I got addicted to several Skip Beat! stories. And when I reached the end, I kept reloading the page at least twice a day as I thought "Come on! Update!" And then I was like, "...Oh." I told my friend Kim about it and she just laughed and said "Karma. Joke's on you." Thanks, Kim.**

**And...I have nothing more to say today. My mind is a blank. **


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